The present invention pertains generally to securing a tube in place at the site of a body opening.
Gastrostomies utilize a tube inserted through a surgically created gastric fistula. The positioning of a tube through the abdominal and gastric walls encounters the risk of tube slippage and dislodgment. A variation consists of the tube terminating at a rigid device fixedly in place within the body opening. Such devices, termed buttons, overcome some of these problem areas, but require periodic care.
Another proposed solution to the problem is the disk shaped device in U. S. Pat. No. 3,663,965 which is embedded into the abdominal wall. A main body of the device is of solid construction having a central passageway receiving a tube which is secured to the device by an adhesive. The device is in the nature of an implant.
A problem with percutaneous tubes is peritubular seepage of fluids such as gastric juices resulting in their coming into contact with the patient's skin. Tissue damage by such fluids is a common problem.